The stormy wet weather and very high water levels in the past week have had a huge impact on fishing both on inland waters and at sea.  Big weather systems out in the Atlantic Ocean have battered the country and most rivers and loughs are at an all time high.

Tom Conlon with his specimen pike of 21lb. 8 oz which wins our catch of the Week.
Tom Conlon with his specimen pike of 21lb. 8 oz which wins our catch of the Week.

Down in Mullingar, angling guide and journalist Mick Flanagan reports there was some lovely perch fishing on lures for himself and friends on Lough Ennell.  There was not many pike angling reports due to floods and high winds on many waters but 61 anglers turned out for the latest Pike Championship qualifier on the Grand Canal at Fisherstown.  There was some fine fish caught including a specimen pike of 21 lb. 8 oz for Tommy Conlon who was second on the day overall.  This lovely fish wins our Catch of the Week.  There was several other good pike recorded on the day. A 10 lb. and a 17 lb.2 oz pike were just reward for a pair of pike anglers who fished a small lough in Co. Monaghan.

Last weekend saw the start of the season on many salmon waters around the country but alas most waters were badly flooded including the Munster Blackwater, the Laune.  Very high winds kept angling activity to a minimum on Lough Currane and we still await the first fresh fish of the season to be recorded.  A yellow belly devon minnow accounted for a lovely 12.5 lb. salmon on the River Drowes which continues to produce the occasional salmon to the rod.

Just before the latest storm, a beach angler reported some excellent codling fishing off a cork beach taking some nice fish up to 5.5 lb.  There were some nice flounders taken by some lady members of the Galway SAC. In the past week when there was a nice day.

Elsewhere the Irish Specimen Fish Committee launched their 2013 report and the report is online but also now available in hard copy from IFI Swords but will be available in all IFI offices shortly.  They will be available on the Inland Fisheries Ireland show stand at the Ireland Angling Show at Cloghran on the 15th and 16th of February. In other news, the Minister for Fisheries, Fergus O’Dowd TD. has announced a new funding stream and a total of €410,000 to support fisheries development projects.  There are many other news items to read on this week’s angling update.

Tight lines especially in Ireland,

Paul Bourke
Angling Information Officer

Catch, Photo, Release

If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update please send it to contact@fisheriesireland.ie.

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meeting
The Meeting of the Waters -the Laune and the Flesk